This week, James Brokenshire, the local government secretary, announced that Roberts has been appointed as financial commissioner alongside Tony McCardle, a former chief executive at Lincolnshire County Council, who will act as lead commissioner overseeing governance and scrutiny.

In a letter to Northamptonshire’s acting chief executive, Alex Powell, deputy director, local government stewardship, at MHCLG, said that Roberts’ powers would cover “all functions associated with the strategic financial management of your authority, including providing advice and challenge in the setting of annual budgets, scrutiny of all in-year amendments, and the power to amend budgets where necessary”.

The commissioners will also have non-executive functions, including the power to hire and fire the chief executive, the monitoring officer and the section 151 officer.

Powell said the exercise of these functions “should enable the commissioners to bring the authority’s finances under control and allow robust service delivery to local residents.”

Roberts, a former CIPFA president, recently retired from his role at Leicestershire, where he was also deputy chief executive.

He also served as county treasurer at Staffordshire County Council for 12 years up until 2005.

He is a non-executive director of the UK Municipal Bonds Agency.

The commissioners are expected to remain in post until the reorganisation of the county under a new unitary structure is complete.

Simon Edwards, director of the County Councils Network (CCN), said: “The County Councils Network welcomes the appointment of both Tony McArdle and Brian Roberts as commissioners at Northamptonshire County Council.

“Both know local government inside out and have proven themselves at successfully transforming the governance, organisation and financial management of local authorities in their previous roles.

“With their support Northamptonshire will be able to continue its journey to returning the authority to financial health.”

He said the CCN would continue to work with the council, offering specialist support to help overcome its financial issues.

The appointments come as Northamptonshire County Council announced that it has balanced its 2017-18 budget with an “unprecedented” use of reserves to cover a £12.7m overspend.

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